The Democratic National Convention will have a new political commentator: Stephen Colbert is bringing his “Late Show” to Chicago and will broadcast from the Auditorium Theatre in the Loop from Monday, Aug. 19 to Thursday, Aug. 22, during the same days of the convention across town at the United Center.
Colbert announced his plans during taping of Wednesday’s episode of “The Late Show”; this will be the first time Colbert has taken his show on the road. The shows will be broadcast on CBS and available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+. Audience tickets for the live appearances at the Auditorium have yet to be announced.
“Sweet home!” he said in part during Wednesday’s broadcast. “Some may know, I lived in Chicago for 11 years and it holds a special place in my heart, and not just because of all the Polish sausage that’s still lodged in my aorta. Chicago is where I cut my comedy teeth performing at the Second City.”
Colbert began his comedy career in Chicago in the late 1980s and early ’90s, first at the Annoyance Theatre and iO Theatre, then at Second City, formative years he has mentioned often in his career as a talk show host.
“The Late Show” will also broadcast live during the Republican National Convention earlier in the summer, July 15-18, albeit from its usual home at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, not from Milwaukee. (Guests for both weeks have yet to be announced.)
Colbert also memorably broadcast live on Showtime during Donald Trump’s victory over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election.
dgeorge@chicagotribune.com